Fiat 124 Abarth spied looking sporty

Fri, Dec 4 2015

Fiat isn't wasting any time. Mere weeks after the Italian brand introduced the new 124 Spider, we've captured our first spy shots of the Scorpion-badged Abarth model undergoing testing somewhere in Europe.

The biggest giveaway that this is the hotted-up 124 are the four pipes sticking out of the rear bumper. While we can get a good look at the new exhaust arrangement, camouflage conceals a new bumper with bigger front intakes, meatier side sills, and of course, bigger wheels. As for the matte black hood – a touch that would be inspired by the Abarth 124 of yore Â– we simply can't spot anything to indicate that it's here (or that it's not, for that matter). You can check out this render for an idea of what the body mods will end up looking like.

While our spies are reporting that the 124 Abarth will only get 170 horsepower in standard trim, that shouldn't disappoint you. Like the 500, the European 124 Abarth will likely come in two power levels, with the US market Abarth getting the higher output as standard. Our spies expect the EsseEsse model to produce 210 to 220 hp, which will probably sound a bit more palatable to US enthusiasts.

There's no telling when the 124 Abarth will debut right now Â– it's still a bit too early in the process Â– although either Geneva or New York, both of which take place near the beginning of convertible season, would probably be safe bets.

By Brandon Turkus